how to select a contractor

When working on a project, I’d argue that the contractor is the key to a (hopefully) successful project. They are the ones who will make the magic happen and bring your vision to life. When selecting a contractor there are a few things to be mindful of.

get a recommendation

First and foremost, the best way to find and select a contractor is to get a recommendation for them. Do you have any friends that have been doing work that has been going smoothly, do you know a contractor friend, etc? Contractors are incentivized to do a good job when their lead comes through a referral. Not only will they have a new happy client, but they also want to make sure their old client will hear about the job’s success and become a repeat client. If your circle still isn’t turning up any leads, I would look to your local facebook group and ask for recommendations. Chances are you will get quite a few, so be sure to do your research on those that were recommended. Your research might be looking at the type of work they do, what is the scale of work they specialize in, who is on their team? You want to make sure their work aligns with the work you’re going to have completed.

obtain three quotes

So you’ve assembled a shortlist of potential contractors, what’s next? I always recommend reaching out to a minimum of three contractors. This gives you your high, medium, and low price point (this will be incredibly helpful when reviewing quotes).

meet in person

Once you reach out, the biggest items you want to address are when they could complete the work and who will be the team working on your project. I always recommend meeting the team prior to signing a contract, preferably in person or over zoom. Here you are looking for how well you get along with the team. This may sound a little silly, but you want a contractor that is going to be able to answer your questions, is easy to talk to, and cares about the relationship. You already know that each option is qualified to complete the work and can run with the schedule. The relationship is the final piece that will make your experience that much better.

And that’s it! It really is that simple. Leave a comment below with any questions you might have!